From the moment, you step into Otis’ Cave at the Okanagan Similkameen Neurological Society Child and Youth Development Centre, you immediately feel at ease.

The cave is lit with a large bubble tube, which emits a calm blue light as bubbles gently float up and down. Plush cushions and fibre-optic string are strategically placed in the cave, all allowing children to take a moment to themselves to relax and calm their anxiety.

For the children who attend the centre, it is important to have a dedicated space they can go to feel calm and at ease.

The Centre’s Director, Manisha Wiilms, shown left draped in fibre-optic rope, which is a multisensory learning tool that allows children to safely handle and play with light and it has a gentle, relaxing effect with many therapeutic benefits for children. Wiilms is thrilled with the Cave, having always dreamed of a calm space that the children know they can go to if they are feeling overwhelmed.

The Cave is the result of hard work, partnerships, planning by OSNS and a grant of more than $9,000 provided by the Community Foundation of the South Okanagan Similkameen (CFSOS).